Controversial San Francisco Police Shooting Death of Mario Woods, Struck With at Least 21 Bullets, Results in No Charges

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The San Francisco police officers who shot and killed Mario Woods will not face criminal charges in the 2015 confrontation, prosecutors said Thursday.

The killing of Woods, 26, who was armed with a knife and under the influence of methamphetamine, sparked protests throughout the Bay Area and was part of a series of controversies that roiled the San Francisco Police Department in 2015 and 2016, eventually leading to the resignation of Chief Greg Suhr.

In a 29-page document outlining the decision, the San Francisco district attorney’s office said the five officers who used lethal force, striking him with at least 21 bullets, had reason to believe Woods posed a danger when they opened fire in the 6600 block of 3rd Street on Dec. 2, 2015.

The shooting drew widespread condemnation after a cellphone video showed several officers confronting Woods as he stood against a wall. Woods had been reported as the suspect in an assault and was armed with a knife, but he appeared to be walking away when officers opened fire.